Driver from triple fatal faces prison for latest crash

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LIMA — A man who has been given chance after chance to turn his life around after killing three illegal immigrants in a drunken crash nearly nine years ago is likely headed back to prison.

Prosecutors have filed a motion to send Victor Anaya back to prison to complete the five remaining years on his 10-year sentence after Anaya was arrested following another crash that may have involved alcohol.

A hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday in Allen County Common Pleas Court.

Anaya was arrested Dec. 7 and charged at Lima Municipal Court with operating a vehicle intoxicated, stopping after accident information, driving under suspension and reckless operation, according to court records.

Anaya did not show for an arraignment at municipal court, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

The 35-year-old Anaya was sentenced in 2006 to 10 years in prison for the June 24, 2005, crash that killed three illegal immigrants at the intersection of Lincoln Highway and state Route 115.

He was sent to prison for 10 years but Judge Jeffrey Reed released him in 2011, five years into his sentence after Anaya maintained a good record in prison and appeared on the verge of turning his life around.

Anaya was back in court in September, trying to explain to a judge why he violated his probation by driving at 4 a.m. He didn’t have a good reason and told the judge he knew he should not have been driving.

Anaya, who only had privileges to drive to and from work or school, said he was picking up a girl and some food.

Reed told him he was risking everything before giving Anaya a third chance.

In the most recent crash, Anaya was driving Dec. 7 north on Woodlawn Avenue. He allegedly struck a car that was stopped at the intersection of West Elm Street, Lima Police Maj. Chip Protsman said.

The 67-year-old woman inside the car was not seriously injured, Protsman said.

Anaya then drove around the car and ran into a parked car on West Elm Street, Protsman said.

He tried to continue driving but struck another parked car on West Elm Street. That hit disabled his car, Protsman said.